A four-day festival to mark the formation of the village, as well as Frankton and Arthurs Point, is on the drawing board.
The aim is to run the festival immediately after the centennial celebrations of historic steamship TSS Earnslaw, by operator Real Journeys, in October 2012.
"It seems a long way [off], but it will come round very quickly and you want funding and sponsorship put in place," Arrow Events co-ordinator Julie Hughes said this week.
Lakes District Museum director David Clarke said the anniversary festivities may be similar in feel to the Arrowtown Autumn Festival.
Mrs Hughes was a driving force behind the autumn festival for eight years.
The museum kept film footage of the anniversaries held in 1962 and 1987.
The 100th anniversary involved a re-enactment of the gold rush on the Arrow River, which could be an idea for the 2012 festival, Mr Clarke said.
Mrs Hughes said she was in talks with Real Journeys, the Arrowtown Village Association and the autumn festival committee.
She is also talking to the Otago Goldfields Heritage Trust, with a view to Arrowtown hosting the annual New Zealand Goldpanning Championships.
Food, wine, sports, heritage walks, competitions and evening functions were among the ideas being floated.
The duo said they were keen for businesses, associations, schools and long-term residents to be involved in the celebrations.
Arrowtown solicitor Bob Craigie offered to set up an incorporated society deed, to enable organisers to apply for funding from community trusts.
The Queenstown Lakes District Council would be approached for assistance.
"We need to celebrate the fact we have such a fantastic history which makes Arrowtown unique," Mrs Hughes said.
Everyone was urged to voice their ideas and volunteer their support by joining the organising committee at a public meeting on September 23, from 7.30pm to 8.30pm, in the community clubrooms on Centennial Ave, Arrowtown.
Interested parties can also contact Mrs Hughes on 027 633 1252 or via email, arrowevents@xtra.co.nz.
